Love Lingers
by E.J.Hawk
Summary: After Christine left him, Erik fled to London, unable to cope with the memories of Christine in Paris. In London, he is the wealthy master of a manor. When a girl that has recently lost her family comes into contact with him, the perceptive girl realizes that love still lingers in his heart, so she tries to make him love the world. She never expected him to love her specifically.
1. Chapter 1

"Papa, you're not truly leaving me here, are you?" Kara asked. It almost came out as begging. Her bags were here, he was dressed in his new uniform.

"I'm afraid I must, sweetie. I should be back in a few months. Pemberley Academy is a fine finishing school."

"I'm sure it is, papa." _Even though the name does sound like a place for old spinsters._ "But do you really have to go?"

"Sweetie, this is a very important voyage for England. If I can bring back the treasure, the country will be rich. And I will be a wealthy man, with the finder's fee."

"Papa, what if your former…associates… are after the treasure?"

"Oh, they most certainly will be. Don't concern yourself with that. I can handle them."

He patted the sword at his side meaningfully, and then rapped on the door. It opened, and a tall, lean woman stood in the doorway. Her dress was black, with long sleeves and a high collar. Her black hair was pulled into a tight bun at the top of her head. Her round face was pale, with a long nose, thin lips frowning, brown eyes glaring severely.

"You must be Captain Bennett, and Miss Kara Bennett. I am Mrs. Moore, Headmistress of Pemberley Academy." Captain Bennett bowed formally while Kara curtsied, both murmuring greetings. "We are very pleased to have you here, Kara, and rest assured, Captain, we will turn her into a proper Englishwoman in no time."

"Of course. And while she's here, she is to have everything she desires. Dresses, jewels, exotic scents, whatever she wants."

"That's rather extravagant, Captain. Are you quite certain?"

"Absolutely. Now, I've got to go, sweetie."

Father and daughter embraced, her cheek resting against his deep blue scarf. "I love you, papa."

"I love you too, sweetie."

As soon as he was gone, Mrs. Moore turner to Kara and said, "Gather your bags, and I will show you to your room."

Kara did so, a little put off by her attitude. No welcoming smile, no offer of something to drink. Her room was nice, however. It had a vanity dresser with a mirror, an armoire, shelves of books, and a four poster bed with silk sheets. A pale blue dress with short sleeves was laid out on the bed.

"This is your uniform. Put it on, and I will take you to French class," said Mrs. Moore.

Kara took the dress behind the changing screen in the corner, and once she was ready, she was taken to a room with five other girls who were eighteen like herself.

"Ladies, this is Kara Bennett. I expect you'll be agreeable to her."

The girls chorused agreement, but as soon as Mrs. Moore was gone, the claws came out.

"So, where exactly do you come from? I'm afraid I am unaware of any notable Bennett's in London" "Erm, I- my papa is a Captain. I grew up with him on his ship."

"Oh, really? He's in Her Majesty's Navy?"

"Not exactly."

A cold laugh echoed through the room, coming from a girl with a long blonde braid. Her grey eyes were frigid, her eyebrows arched, her nose slightly upturned. Here was trouble.

" _I_ know who _she_ is. Her father is a pirate."

"Papa prefers the term 'opportunist'," Kara corrected her, "And, actually, he's a privateer now. Queen Victoria made this arrangement herself."

"What arrangement?"

"He's recovering some items of considerable value for her. It will make England very rich, and gain us Her Majesty's favor."

"So you say," Said the blonde, "But, growing up on a pirate ship like a savage, you can hardly fit into proper English society. Bit hard to gain a Queen's favor with such deplorable social skills."

Kara's cheeks were pink with anger. "Well, I suppose that's why I'm here to learn about these things," she murmured quietly.

"Come, class, to your French lesson," the teacher said as she entered the room suddenly.

After a day of lessons that included French, deportment, art, and music, then a dinner, the girls got two hours of free time. Kara sat alone, working on her stitching. Or rather, she attempted to sit alone.

"Do you have any idea of the importance of this school?" The blonde from earlier in French class asked Kara. The Privateer's daughter learned earlier that her name was Amelia Price.

"To impress people at redundant parties?" Kara guessed, snipping off a thread.

"Those _parties_ are a girl's season, signaling her debut into society and her eligibility for marriage."

"Mmm. Being tied down is important, is it?"

"'Tied down'? You know nothing. Marriage is security."

"Sounds like imprisonment to me."

"Well, what can I expect from a pirate's daughter that doesn't pay attention in class?"

"Privateer," Kara snapped, "And I'm already fluent in French. Madame was only giving me old information."

"How is it you are fluent in French?"

"Papa gave me what education he thought useful. Beyond that, I got to learn what interested me. Is there a point to all these questions beyond supplying you and your friends with fresh gossip about me?"

Amelia sniffed disdainfully. "Very well, I can see you're determined to be completely incorrigible, so I shall leave you to simmer in your bitterness."

Kara glared after her. She hadn't meant to be rude, but Amelia and her superiority rubbed her the wrong way.

She shook her head and went back to her stitching. This was actually an activity that she enjoyed and learned by requesting the information from her papa, who got her a teacher. Stitching was important to her because it was relaxing. Just her and the cloth, no complications.

And it took months, but Kara finally felt like she was making progress. With classes, anyway, if not her classmates. She was expecting to hear from her papa any day now. She got word of him, if in a left handed sort of way.

A solider came to Pemberley with a somber expression and her father's blue scarf in hand. Shocked into silence, Kara took it and ran to her room, where she could commence her crying in peace. A few hours later, Mrs. Moore came to her. By this time, Kara's hazel eyes were dry, and she was curled up on the seat by the window.

"I am here to explain things to you, Miss Bennett," said the Headmistress, "Your father is dead. What's more, he did not find the treasure he was after. You are an orphan now, no longer special. You may stay on at this Academy, but not as a student. You will be a servant. Which means this is no longer your room. All yours things will be sold to provide your upkeep and you must move to the attic. Change your uniform and go."

A dress was thrown at her, and Mrs. Moore exited. Kara stood and held it against herself. The color was dark brown, it was sleeveless, and the skirt was ripped past the knee. Surely she wasn't meant to wear this?

Kara looked around for something to wear under it. She chose a long sleeved, cleavage baring, simple grey dress. The brown dress was put on over it, hiding a little cleavage. There, that helped. And if her bare feet peeked out from the skirts as she walked, so what? At least it wasn't her ankles. She put her long, wavy, auburn hair into a bun at the base of her skull, leaving two thin locks framing her ivory face. Now that was better. She was as clean and presentable as she could be dressed in rags with no shoes or accessories.

Silently, she took her scarf and trekked up to the attic. It was spacious, as it took up the length and width of the building. A column of bricks against the far wall was a chimney that was from the sitting room fire place downstairs. To the right of the room was a low cot with a single pillow and thin blanket.

Next to that was a small nightstand, which held a single candle in its holder, some matches, a comb, and a pitcher of water accompanied by a bowl, soap, and a towel for washing her face. Above the nightstand was a small mirror barely able to show her whole face. To the left was a window, big enough for a person to step through, the two glass doors open to let in the fresh air. That was all. It was quite a plain place. But she'd have to get on somehow.

So she put her scarf on the cot and went back downstairs to start cleaning. There were windows, floors to be cleaned, silver to be polished, rugs to be beat, and she had to fetch groceries for the cook. All day she worked. At the end of the day, she was given a small loaf of bread and a cup of water.

"What? This can't be all I get for dinner."

"You'll learn to take what you can have, you ungrateful little bastard child!" the cook snarled suddenly.

Kara gaped at her, flabbergasted. "I-I-I beg your pardon!" she stammered.

The nice lady that was so pleasant to her just the other day that now turned so cruel was shocking to see. What a twisted transformation!

Kara scampered up to the attic and ate on her bed, jumping at shadows. Eventually, she removed her brown work dress, deciding to use the grey one as a night dress and an under slip.

She took her hair down and crawled onto the cot, covering herself with the blanket. She fell asleep, but it was far from a restful slumber. She was hungry and cold, unable to rest. When she woke, she found she was still tired. Kara shook her head, determined to continue on. She got up and went to the window, breathing in the fresh air and admiring the vibrant sunrise.

"Bonjour," a cheerful voice exclaimed. Kara squeaked, jumping in fear, and looked quickly over to the roof on the right. There was a man there, dressed in dark, formal clothing.

"Bonjour," Kara replied uncertainly, "Umm, who are you?"

"Ah, my name is Leon. I am the butler for Monsieur Destler, the master of this manor."

"Oh. My name is Kara. Aren't you afraid you'll fall off that roof?"

"Not at all. Before Monsieur Destler took me in, I was an orphan roaming the roofs of London, scavenging for food. My past is above this city. The roofs are my life."

Kara smiled at him, and he smiled back. He seemed nice, his chestnut brown hair shining in the sun and his blue eyes shimmering, white teeth against tan skin flashing at her. Suddenly she became aware that her thin dress clung to her figure and showed quite a bit of her bosom.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, covering her chest with her arms, "It was very nice to meet you, Leon, but I- I need to get to work now." She gave a quick smile and ducked back into the attic, closing the window doors.

Leon chuckled. She was quite an agreeable girl, he thought. Kind, concerned for others, and beautiful. With the sun illuminating her ivory skin, and setting free the fire in her loose auburn hair, she seemed to blaze with light from within. The dress, revealing her curves, was simple yet becoming. She wore no jewels or cosmetics, her lips a natural red. A true beauty.

There was something in her hazel eyes when he mentioned his life as an orphan. Sadness? Pity? No, sympathy. Understanding. Was she alone too?

And what work could a young lady like her possibly have? That building was for teaching young ladies domestic arts and accomplishments. So she wasn't a governess, as that place had no tiny children. From the simplicity of her appearance and the fact that she slept in the attic suggested she was a servant for the small school.

Intrigued by the mysterious girl in the attic, Leon went back inside the manor, deciding to keep an eye on her. And perhaps, in the process, he would find out more.

Author's Note: I'd like to mention this is my first story on Fanfiction, so reviews are highly anticipated and welcome. I set this story during Queen Victoria's reign, because this story is based on Gaston Leroux's novel. It was published in 1910, and in the beginning of the book, he says the events with Erik and Christine happened not thirty years ago, putting the date that happened around 1870. The events of my story happen somewhere after that. The story is named as it is because while Andrew Webber wrote his own sequel to Phantom of the Opera, I want to make my own sequel, because I don't like Christine and OC's are much more conducive to the imagination. So, Love Never Dies never happened, and I proudly present Love Lingers.


	2. Chapter 2

Kara tried her best not to think about her father. That wasn't so difficult, considering how hard she was worked. It had all happened so fast. But if she stopped to think about it, she would cry, so she tried to forget about her old life. Soon, however, it started to weigh heavily on her. She was constantly tired and hungry, and as winter crept in, cold got added to the list. Everywhere she turned; people either ignored her or spoke to her harshly. It was like she was a wild animal.

She had a few more talks with Leon, who continued to watch over her. He notices that as winter got stronger, she took to sleeping against the chimney for warmth. Leon was baffled at what he was seeing. Where were her extra blankets and winter clothes? And for goodness sake, what about shoes? The ground was cold! He was a servant too, but Monsieur Destler treated him very well compared to what dregs this girl got. It wasn't right, Leon decided. But what could he do?

He watched from the roof as Kara lugged around groceries in the square below. He saw her stop for a second, putting them down, and she looked at the bakery across from her. Leon frowned. So on top of treating her poorly, they didn't pay her? He took a coin from his pocket, hefting it in his hand, timing things just right. As a well-dressed man walked by her, Leon threw the coin as hard as he could. It hit the groceries, making Kara start and look at the bags. She picked up the coin, looked around, and ran after the man that just passed her, putting a hand on his shoulder. The man turned his lips moving. His arm shot out, pushing Kara over. The man walked on, ignoring her. Leon saw her get up after a moment and then go over to the bakery. She purchased a few buns, and as she was about to bite into one, she stopped. Leon saw her go over to a little boy, a street urchin, and give him the buns. Then she picked up the groceries and went inside Pemberley.

Now more than ever he wanted to help her. So he came up with a plan. He would get her to come to the manor, and when she did, he would feed her.

Kara couldn't stand how good the bakery smelled. If she only had a little money…a sound behind her made her jump, and when she turned to look, a coin was glimmering on the ground beside the bags. She picked it up, looking for who dropped it. She spotted a gentleman and ran after him.

"Excuse me sir, did you-"as soon as her hand touched his shoulder, he turned and pushed her to the ground.

"Keep your hand off me, you filthy rat!" he snarled, hurrying away.

Kara landed on her behind on the streets, her face shocked. What did she do to upset him? She was just trying to do the right thing! Slowly, she picked herself up and went to the bakery to get some food. The buns smelled so good, and she was just about to take a bite when she saw the boy. He was so little, cold, and hungry. But she was starving… but at least she was fed, even if it wasn't much. It was the hardest thing she had ever done, but she did the right thing and gave him the food.

Quickly, she gathered the groceries and took them inside to the cook before returning to cleaning. It was late at night before she was free to go to the attic. When she went to close the windows, she saw Leon's hat lying on the roof. Kara leaned over and snatched it up. She'd return it really quick. Everyone was asleep, she wouldn't get in trouble. She tied her scarf around her hips before she left, and then went downstairs and outside, where she knocked on the manor's front door.

A maid answered. "Can I help you?"

"Umm, the butler of this manor, Leon, I'm here to return his hat."

"Ah. Come in, I'll go get him." The maid left her alone in the foyer.

Suddenly, she heard music coming from down the hall. Listening intently, she felt as if she had heard it before. Slowly, only half aware of what she was doing, she went in search of the source, which turned out to be a man at a piano. When she entered the room, his back was to her, and he was playing fervently. She felt her emotions stir and her imagination soar. Kara had never heard anything like it!

When the music stopped, she clapped enthusiastically. The man spun around, and Kara gasped. His face was disfigured horribly. She only got a glimpse of an absent nose, sunken cheeks and golden eyes before he quickly put on a mask and launched himself at her. He pinned her against the wall, one gloved and wrapped around her slender neck.

"What are you doing here?" he growled.

"I- he - L -Leon," Kara got out, trembling in fright under the brunt of his fury, "He l-left his ha-ha-hat. I-I-I was just re-returning it to him."

The masked man's hand tightened, cutting off her air and making her go silent.

"Do you know," he began in a very low voice, "What I do to those that have seen my face?"

Kara could only whimper.

"I keep them," Erik whispered, "For once a woman has seen my face, she belongs to me."

He squeezed, and Kara gasped as air left her lungs. Clawing at his gloved hand desperately, pleading with her eyes, she whispered, "Please."

Erik's golden eyes widened, and he let go. Kara dropped to the floor, gasping and coughing. The door opened, and Leon and the maid entered.

"What is going on here?" the butler demanded.

"You've been spending too much time on the roof, Leon," Erik said darkly.

Dazed, Kara barely registered Leon helping her up, asking if she was alright. She nodded weakly, and at that moment, Erik grabbed her arm, dragging her past his servants and into the hallway. He threw her in one of the bedrooms so forcefully that she went sprawling on the floor. She got up fast and ran at him, only to his the door as it closed. She tried the door handle, but it was locked.

"Let me out!" she shouted, "You can't do this, let me out!"

No one answered. She kicked the door angrily, and then sat on the bed to calm down and figure a way out of this.

Back in the music room, Leon and Erik were going at it.

"You can't keep her here like a prisoner!" Leon protested.

"Yes, I can, and I am," Erik retorted, "She's seen my face!"

"Oh. Okay, I understand your concern, but she didn't mean any harm. She was just coming to return the hat I left."

"So, you did it on purpose."

"Yes! The poor girl has nothing. I thought if I could get her here, give her something to eat, things could be better. She's not a danger, Monsieur, if we could just let her go, please."

"NO!" Erik roared suddenly, and Leon instantly shut up.

Erik sighed, and after a moment, he said quietly, "If you want to give her something to eat, fine. But if she escapes, it will be your neck."

Leon bowed quickly. "Oui, monsieur."

He begged some food from the cook, and went to what was now Kara's room. He found her sitting on the bed, looking more depressed than he had ever seen her.

"Oh, Kara, I am so sorry I got you into this mess. I only left the hat to try to help you. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"It's okay. I understand."

"Here. I brought you some food."

Kara's eyes lit up when she saw what he had. "Meat!" she exclaimed gleefully, "And milk, too?"

She took a bite of the roast and moaned. It was juicy, and tender, and tasty, and it had bits of fat and garlic in it. She took a long drink of milk and found it was ice cold, smooth and creamy.

"God, this is so good," she muttered, eating faster.

Leon smiled sadly. She had been so badly mistreated. It would be up to him to see to it that she got the nourishment she needed. Kara ate and drank everything.

"Thank you, Leon. I'm so glad I have a friend like you."

A surprised expression came over his face. "Oh. Well, sure. Look, Kara. Promise me that you won't try to escape."

"What?"

"I can take care of you here. You'll be better off here, really."

"I see. And it's not like anyone at Pemberley will be missing me. I have no one, except for you… Alright. I promise I won't escape."

"Good. Now, get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

When he left, Kara heard the door lock. She removed her brown dress, let her hair down, and snuggled into bed. I was so soft, and so warm… With the first full belly in ages, and soft warmth around her, Kara got the best sleep of her life.

In the morning, however, she was woken by Erik barging into her room. Kara yelped in shock, and covered her chest with the blankets.

"What are you doing in here?"

"My dear, this is my house," Erik said condescendingly.

Kara frowned. "Okay then, while we're on the subject, why am I your prisoner here?"

"I already told you. In any case, I am here to explain the rules. One, you do as I tell you, when I tell you to do it. Two, you dine with me every night at six, or you go without food until the next time we have dinner together. Three, you will not attempt to escape. Four, you _will not_ touch any of my instruments without my express permission. Am I clear?"

Kara glared at him. "Transparently," she muttered.

"Very good. I'll see you tonight."

"Wait!"

Erik paused and looked over his shoulder at her. "What is it?"

"I-I want something to do during the day. Do you have a library?"

"You can read?"

"Yes."

Erik didn't answer immediately. After a few long moments, he said, "Yes. There is a library. You may explore my manor as you wish."

He left, his long, dark coat sweeping the ground as he walked. Kara watched him go wistfully. Though she was a prisoner and she shouldn't like him, she found herself admiring the way he held himself. So proud, so regal, so elegant. _Snap out of it, girl,_ Kara told herself, _He's nothing but bad news._

So she shoved Erik out of her mind for a moment and went in search of the library. On her way, she admired the house. It was decorated with the utmost taste. And the book selection, when she found the library, included most of her favorites. Eagerly, she grabbed a book and sat down to read. How she missed this. How she longed to escape reality and sink into a world of wonderful fantasy.

Author's Note: Thanks to Terri for your reviews, you were my first! Woo! When one of the reviews mentioned A Little Princess, I thought, "What the heck is that?" So I went online and looked up the plot, then immediately started to laugh at the similarity. Now that it's mentioned, I do remember seeing something like that a long time ago, when I was really little. Distant memories, I guess. I thought what I'd seen was a dream, not a memory. Oh well. I got a kick out of it, anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

The silence at the dinner table was awkward in the extreme.

"From now on you are to dress properly for dinner, not in those rags," Erik said sternly.

Kara blushed in shame. "I don't have any other clothes," she admitted, "These are all I own, monsieur."

"Erik."

"What?"

"Erik. My name is Erik. And yours?"

"Kara."

"Well, Kara, it seems as though I will have to take you shopping."

Her head shot up in surprise, but she said nothing. It would be nice to have an outing.

"What are your skills?" Erik asked suddenly. Anything to prevent that awful silence from returning.

"Well, I can read, write, and speak in English and French. I can draw-badly. I can swordfight, read maps, navigate with tools and by the stars. I'm good at disguising myself and going unnoticed when I want to. I can clean, and cook, if I have a nice recipe to follow. I can swim, and memorize a lot of information in little time. Umm…that's all I can think of, for now."

"And what do you _like_ to do, what are your interests?" Erik wanted to know.

Kara smiled shyly. "Well, you already know I like to read. I also like stitching, etching things with metal, acting, and singing."

"You sing?" asked Erik, "Are you any good?"

"Yes."

"Then sing."

"What, now?"

"Yes."

Kara stared at him, as if she was going to refuse him. But then, she opened her mouth and began to sing. Her sweet soprano voice soared through the air, rising and dipping, but never faltering. Erik felt his breath catch. He thought he would never hear anyone or anything that could come close to Christine. But this girl-well, he never thought he'd say it, but this girl far outstripped Christine.

Her range was greater, her control was excellent, yet her spirit was wild, and her vibrato was solid. He fell into a trance without realizing it, lost in memories and dreams. When the last note of her song fell away, it took a few moments for him to snap out of it.

"Very good," he said stiffly.

Immediately he hated himself. That sounded so cold, so formal, so inadequate compared to the praise she deserved. But he had quite a shock, and he wasn't used to expressing his feelings to others.

"So, what is it you like to do?" Kara asked.

"I am an architect and designer, a composer and a magician. I sing and play many instruments, including the organ, piano, and violin. I used to own an opera house in Paris."

"Oh," said Kara, blushing, "I feel so silly. I must have sounded terrible compared to what you're used to."

"No. On the contrary, you far surpassed what I am used to."

Kara didn't know what to say to that. So, he liked her singing, but his compliments were hard to come by. She cleared her throat and asked timidly, "Do you miss Paris?"

Erik sighed. "That is complicated. Sometimes I do, but then I remember why I left."

"Why did you leave?"

Erik looked to be on the verge of answering, but then he said, "You are too curious. I don't like curious women."

"I'm sorry," said Kara, "I didn't mean to upset you."

The rest of the meal went on in peaceful silence.

 **A day later, Morning, London, England**

The next morning, they set out into town together. Kara was smiling as she soaked in the sunshine. Erik noticed that in direct sunlight, her hair, which he previously thought was plain brown, now shone with tints of copper and gold. She was beautiful. She seemed genuinely happy, as if she was content just with the air and sunlight. Little did he know, she was. For the first time in a long time, she felt free.

He wound up buying her a white linen nightgown, a crushed velvet forest green formal dress, and three day dresses-one in blue, one in a mellow purple, and one in light yellow. Then he bought her a pair of white flats, and a pair of grey dress shoes with little wooden heels. Finally, he bought her a long, white fur coat with a matching muff.

"Erik, this is amazing. Thank you so much!"

"I do dare say they are better than the rags you were wearing," he agreed.

Glancing up at the sun, seeing it was noon, he added, "Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Come with me."

He took her to a little tea shop, where they had cucumber sandwiches and Earl Grey tea. The sandwiches were light and crispy and cool on the tongue, providing a nice contrast with the tea.

"I had a nice outing today, Erik," Kara said cheerily, "Thank you."

Erik glanced at her from the corner of his vision. "Yes, well…"

He wanted to remain aloof, but he had to agree with her. With a pretty girl at his side, eating at a normal restaurant, on a normal day…well. He almost felt like a normal man, with a normal life. It was nice.

 **Erik's Manor, London England, Late afternoon**

"So what do you do all day?" Kara asked.

"I compose."

A sorrowful, longing expression came across her face. Erik looked at her curiously.

"What is it?"

"I just miss the freedom of what I could have had in the future."

"What do you mean?"

"I wanted so much for my life. I wanted to see the world, and…well, I never wanted love, or saw myself getting married, but now that even the possibility of finding a nice man is gone, I-" Kara sighed, letting her sentence drop.

"I'm doing you a favor," Erik said harshly, "Love brings crippling pain."

He began to walk away down the hall, and Kara said, "After losing my father, I can't disagree with you. It hurt so much when he died and I miss him every day."

Erik stopped in his tracks. "You lost your father?"

"Yes."

"My condolences."

"Thank you. But, Erik, I learned that life does go on. You just have to see the good in the world. Learn to appreciate the little things, and let the love in you grow for everything around you."

"I do hate to disappoint you, but there is no love in my heart. There hasn't been for a very long time."

"I don't believe that," Kara whispered.

Erik walked away quickly, eager to get away from such a conversation. Kara went to her room and began to put away her new things, thinking about Erik.

On a physical level, he was amazing. His posture, his presence was as if he was a king. And his _voice!_ Deep baritone, smooth, strong, enticing. His eyes, the color of molten gold, were so expressive, full of pain and pride, yet they could hold such anger and such tenderness.

On an emotional level, he was distant, a little awkward, sometimes considerate and caring. He was formal, controlling, and mysterious. From his reluctance to talk about Paris and his scorn for love, she thought he had a bad relationship gone awry there. But she didn't know for sure, she had no proof, it was just a guess. She wondered if she could help him. It wouldn't be easy, but then, nothing worth doing ever was.

Kara finished putting everything away before dinner and looked around a little hesitantly. He said to dress properly for dinner. What did that mean? Erik had purchased her a formal dress earlier, but she had never worn anything so fine. Surely it wasn't meant for just an ordinary, everyday dinner. What if she stained it?

Horrified at the thought, she dressed in the long sleeved, V necked blue dress and paired it with the white flats. Hopefully, that was good enough. She thought it was. The fabric was soft, the cut was clean, and the stitches neat. This was a very fine dress, finer than she had ever worn, and it was meant for everyday wear!

So, it was with some trepidation that she entered the dining room, looking at Erik with her head lowered, peering up at him shyly from beneath her lashes. Erik took one look at her and guessed what she was thinking, and a corner of his mouth quirked upward in a smile.

"You look fine," he said, "Sit, please."

She did so. "What did you find since our outing to appreciate?" Kara asked.

Erik's eyes were hard, his tone flat.

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on, Erik. I'll tell you mine, then. I'm thankful for the delicious food provided by your talented chef."

He didn't answer. Kara sighed and let it go for now. She would have to approach this from a different angle.

The maid came in and was ladling soup into Erik's bowl when her arm was jostled, and the hot liquid spilled onto his arm. He came to his feet, roaring with pain and anger. The maid backed off, and he turned on her.

"You clumsy swine!" he barked.

Kara was there in a flash, putting herself between the maid and the furious Erik.

"Leave her alone!" exclaimed Kara, "She didn't mean to, it was an accident!"

The maid took her chance to escape and ran back into the kitchen.

"Don't you dare come between me and disciplining my staff!" he thundered.

"I will not permit you to harm innocent people!" she shouted back, "Just because you don't have a normal face and you're insecure about it doesn't mean you can take it out on others! I know you're better than being bad!"

 _CRACK!_

Kara's head snapped to the side, she stumbled back a few steps, tripped on her skirt, and fell to the floor. Her ears rang, and pain spread across her cheek. It took a few seconds for her brain to catch up with what happened. He had _hit her!_

"Say that again," he dared, "Still think I'm good?"

Kara didn't answer.

"Shall I give you another?" Erik hissed venomously.

Kara whimpered and shuffled back a little, shaking her head, cowering before him. He grabbed her hair and pulled her to her feet, making her shriek with pain.

"I've been too easy with you," he said, dragging her to her room and over to the bed.

He shoved her down to the floor and produced a length of rope from what seemed to be thin air, tying her hands together behind her back and then tying them to the leg of the bed.

"Perhaps some time spent as a true prisoner will remind you of your place," he added, standing and leaving the room, locking her in.

Kara was rock still for a few seconds, breathing heavily, her brain in shock. Then she began to struggle, yanking at her bonds. She even got to her knees and tried fast walking on them to get away, straining at the ropes, which didn't budge. She fell back against the post and tried to bite at it, but her body didn't bend like that. Then it was back to hopelessly tugging. At last, she gave up. She would abide being confined to the house, but this was unbearable!

Kara threw her head back and _screamed._ It was long and high pitched, full of all her frustration, pain, anger, and humiliation. When at last she ran out of air, she slumped against the bed, feeling utterly helpless. It was one of her top most hated emotions. Surely he couldn't do this. She didn't _belong_ to him! But in the back of her mind, she knew she did. Now she wondered how long she would be kept like this.

 **Author's Note:** Oh, I love reviews! Thank you all so much for your comments, Terri, devotedtodisney, and chaiteaandwalnuts! Special thanks go to FateMagician for helping me become a better writer! I hope the scene changes are how they should be. And I'd just like to say that any characters, scenes, dialogue, come from my own twisted mind and any resemblance to any other works or characters, living, dead, or fictional are completely coincidental. And I've never seen the Princess Bride, the Court Jester, or The Rocketeer.


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